Features
The Top 20 Breakthrough DJs Of 2016
Who catapulted themselves into the big time this year?
19 Bradley Zero
As head honcho of Rhythm Section, London clubbing’s worst-kept secret, Bradley Zero has taken the club night far beyond its humble beginnings at Canavan’s Peckham Pool Club, turning it into a global brand with his own eclectic, tropical tastes in disco and funk across Italy, Croatia and an Australian tour.
18 Asquith
Already at the helm of one of dance music’s hottest labels, Jimmy Asquith spent the year establishing himself as a break-out DJ. This year he got busy spreading the Lobster Theremin sound with showcases across the globe, and running the Find Me In The Dark parties at Corsica Studios.
17 Francis Inferno Orchestra
Australia’s deepest-digging DJ went from strength to strength, taking his low-key musical history lessons around the world. He headlined bills with San Proper and Axel Boman and played Farr Festival and Glastonbury while getting in five-hour sets spanning oddball 80s funk, Italo, synth-pop, tribal 90s house and everything in between.
16 Jayda G
Jayda G has asserted herself as one of the most life-affirming new DJs going in 2016. Her sets are fuelled by exultant jams, and she mirrors this energy in the booth with infectious dance moves and unrestrained singing. A hectic tour schedule has taken her across North America and Europe this year.
15 Julia Govor
Few DJs seem to enjoy their time behind the decks as much as Julia Govor. Dropping deep, brooding techno that’s drawn comparisons to Nina Kraviz, the Russian built a foundation in New York at venues like Flash Factory and Output, as well as in Miami, LA, and further abroad.
14 Mollie Collins
The breakthrough d’n’b DJ of 2016, Kent’s 20-year-old Mollie Collins has become something of a poster girl for rowdy jump-up mayhem. Lightning-fast behind the decks, Mollie’s scorching three-deck sets cover multiple styles of 170bpm, including representing the genre at grime events like Eskidance.
13 Madam X
Madam X this year put her stamp on underground, bass-heavy dance music. She played across the UK for Annie Mac, Warehouse Project and Outlook and also started her own club night, Kaizen Klub, which complements the murky releases on her Kaizen imprint.
12 Batu
The Bristol-based producer has made waves thanks to the weird, warped, low-end techno of his Timedance label and party. Alongside scene godfather Peverelist and fellow young guns Facta and Bruce, he’s adding a tripped-out spin to UK soundsystem culture.
11 Umfang
Umfang’s sets are filled with alien, hard-hitting techno that she somehow blends into uplifting, stretched-out grooves. As co-founder of the Discwoman collective, aimed at promoting female-identifying DJs, she’s also done vital work in uncovering new talents to join her in laying waste to dancefloors this year.
10 Endgame
The Hyperdub signing and Bala Club member left dancefloors scorched thanks to a blend of dark rap, mutant club, thick noise and this year’s sound du jour, nu metal edits. Stand-out shows included tours of Japan and the USA as well as appearances at key European clubs.
9 Mike Servito
Overnight success doesn’t normally take this long. New Yorker Servito has been DJing for years, but it seems like the world has caught up thanks in part to his masterful b2b sessions with the likes of Heidi and the Black Madonna at places like Razzmatazz and Dekmantel. A proper ‘DJ’s DJ’.
8 Young Marco
It’s hard to carve a niche in the buzzing Amsterdam DJ scene but that’s just what Young Marco did this year. After an EP on Dekmantel and a hugely popular set at the festival, he’s become part of Rush Hour’s inner circle with Hunee and Antal and DJed at Love International, DGTL, Farr Festival, Into The Valley and more.
7 Eagles & Butterflies
With his tracks snapped up by Innervisions and Life & Death it’s no wonder Chris Barratt’s DJ career has also taken off. This year he debuted at Circoloco Ibiza, supported Digweed at BPM and Miami for WMC, played Output with Dixon and Âme, and closed Circoloco in LA. Add dozens more and the Eagle has truly landed.
6 Denis Sulta
Denis Sulta backed up some massive releases with a tour schedule that has seen him play nearly 100 gigs this year with notable stops at Space Ibiza for Annie Mac’s takeover, Warehouse Project in November and of course Jackmaster’s 30th birthday in his home town of Glasgow.
5 Hito
The Berlin-based Japanese star and ENTER. resident spread her Kimono-clad wings this year, taking her warm, organic, strictly vinyl techno magic to everywhere from Circoloco to Awakenings to the cover mix for Mixmag’s December issue.
4 Dax J
If anyone’s going to knock Klock and Dettmann off their thrones it’ll London-born, Berlin based techno prodigy Dax J. This year he has taken his his high-octane, 135bpm+ sets to a wider audience than ever, headlining the Awakenings closing party at ADE and putting in numerous appearances at Berghain.
3 Peggy Gou
The first Korean-born DJ to play outside the country, PG’s profile has risen exponentially, winning fans wherever she spins with slick mixes spanning old-skool Chicago house to soulful world music. In June she achieved her dream of playing Panoramabar, and Jackmaster booked her for his Mastermix tour.
2 Avalon Emerson
Having cut her teeth on San Francisco’s warehouse party scene, Avalon Emerson has taken her narrative-driven house, techno and rave sets to new heights in 2016, hitting up some of the best clubs in the world from Panorama Bar and De School to XOYO.
1 Palms Trax
It’s proof of Palms Trax’s feel-good skill that two of his best sets this year were on a Sunday. At Glastonbury he played B2B with Midland at the Temple, creating euphoria as the festival drew to a close; at Dekmantel Amsterdam he brought a tired crowd back to life with a Main Stage set. A superb talent, every day of the week.
